FARMINGTON — Officials responded Thursday evening to a one-vehicle accident where a pedestrian was struck and badly injured along Route 11. Then shortly after, a four-vehicle accident amid the heavy traffic from the first scene tied up the major artery even longer.

Farmington Fire Chief Rich Fowler said his department and Farmington police responded to reports of a pedestrian struck by a westbound vehicle around 5:30 p.m. near Pike Industries on Route 11. Police Sgt. Michael McNeil said Brenda Fields, 38, of Rochester, was found in the road with serious but not life-threatening injuries. A Medflight helicopter to Maine Medical Center was requested for Fields but was eventually called off. She was transported to Frisbie Memorial Hospital by ambulance in stable condition.

The operator of an SUV who reportedly struck Fields, Tiffany Bisson, 29, of Alton, was entirely cooperative with police and stayed on scene to voluntarily provide a blood sample, McNeil said. He added at this time it does not appear Bisson was operating under the influence or speeding, and rather Fields was outside of her vehicle, a Jeep Wrangler, edging into the roadway when her battery died. He said Fields’ vehicle was parked along the white line marking the shoulder of the highway and she appeared to actually be standing in the heavily congested roadway.

“It was more or less a visual issue. (Bisson) wasn’t able to see because of light visibility,” McNeil explained. “There are no street lights in that area. It was very dark, and Brenda was wearing dark clothes with no hazard lights displayed.”

The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.

Approximately 30 to 40 minutes after the pedestrian accident occurred, Fowler said emergency officials then responded again to a four-vehicle accident farther down the road near Taylor Rental on Route 11. Fowler said he believed some anxious drivers attempted to turn around and head back toward Rochester as they waited for the accident scene to clear.

McNeil said the cause of the second crash is unknown at this time, but noted Rochester and Milton police departments were called in to assist with traffic issues. Middleton departments also responded to provide assistance. The road was not reopened until almost an hour-and-a-half later at about 7:15 p.m.

Fowler said he believed the four-vehicle crash, which did not result in any major injuries, was due to the large increase in traffic experienced as many commuters were headed home at the time of the first incident. He noted none of the parties involved in the crash were seriously injured, though one vehicle was destroyed and towed from the scene.

McNeil said in the first incident, both Fields’ and Bisson’s vehicles, were towed from the scene, and one was brought in for processing for more evidence. Fields’ vehicle sustained damage when Bisson reportedly side swiped that vehicle before her car collided with the pedestrian.

McNeil said an accident reconstruction team was not called in Thursday night, to move traffic along more quickly. Police did mark up the roads, he said, and they will return today to gather more evidence.